Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in sailing harness fastening members and, more particularly, to a means for relieving fatigue of the hands and allowing direct body manipulation of a hand-held sail assembly.
Sailboarding is a water sport using a board and sail assembly attached a universal joint to the board, as shown in FIG. 1. The board ranges in length from six to twelve feet. The sail is rigged with fifteen to sixteen foot mast and a boom which holds the sail in place. The mast, sail and boom are attached to the board by a universal joint. The sailor positions himself on the board and manipulates the boom to transfer the power of the wind to the board for speed.
Sailboarding requires continuous muscular effort which limits the duration of participation in the sport. Many different types of harnesses are known which can be worn while sailing. These harnesses fall into two categories: one, body harnesses which encompass the torso or waist and attach to the sail assembly via a single connecting element such as rope; and two, "traction arrangements", a wrist or hand attachment which is detachable connected to the sailing assembly by a frictional connection or a hand-held flexible, solid element which is deformable about the boom using hand pressure.
One example of a body harness known as "the harness" is a jacket-like nylon garment with a hook or fastening member located on the chest or lower torso which is secured to a rope or line attached to the boom. The "harness" was first designed approximately 12 to 18 years ago to provide support for the sailor and decrease the stress on the sailor's arms.
The harness is secured to the boom line by means of a single, central hook. The problem with the single hook is that it changes the power and feel of the sail to the center of the body, not the arms or sides of the body. This does not allow the sailor to adjust as accurately or quickly as when the hands hold the boom and control the majority of the sail assembly's power.
Other examples of body harnesses used to secure the sailor to the sailboard are described by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,112,865 to Carn, 4,058,045 to Spanier, and 4,505,216 to Elorza.
Carn, U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,865, discloses a harness with an adjustable chest belt and shoulder straps and a releasable connector attached to a cord secured to the sailboard apparatus, for example, the tackle.
Spanier, U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,845, discloses a sailing harness which has a strap or connector which surrounds the sailor's buttocks, and elastic straps which secure an attachment connector around the shoulders and chest. The attachment connector is then secured to the sail assembly.
Elorza, U.S. Pat. No. 4,505,216, discloses an elongated, flexible piece which is secured at each end to one side of the boom of a sailboard. The sailor positions himself between the boom and the flexible piece so that he can lean back on the piece.
McCoy, U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,295, discloses a variation of conventional "harness lines" which attaches a conventional body harness to the boom of a sailboard. The improvement taught by this patent is a releasably adjustable, pliable member which tightens around the boom when tension is applied to the rope.
Burger, U.S. Pat. No. 4,235,182, discloses apparatus for securing a sailor to a sailboard boom by use of attachments for a harness which goes around the sailor's chest and shoulders. The apparatus includes deformable connectors secured by the sailor's hands to the boom and released when the sailor moves his hands. This traction arrangement solves the previously discussed problem by allowing free body movement but creates a new problem altogether by restricting movement of the hands. It is very important for a sailor to have free use of hands for technical sailing maneuvers without interference of any kind from the harness or traction arrangement.
U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 864,824, filed May 19, 1986, by applicant entitled "Harness for Supporting a Person During Sailboarding", discloses a harness for supporting a person during sailboarding which is based on the concept that the sailor needs to maintain control of the sail assembly during sailboarding while at the same time having a means for reducing strain on the sailor over an extended period of time. This was achieved by the use of support harnesses which secured the forearms of the sailor to the sail assembly. The drawback to this invention is the relatively complicated nature of the harnesses.